Scooter brake



A May 21, 1929. M A H DAV|5 1 1,714,000

SCOOTER BRAKE Filed Nov. 9. 192e I Y V E /N E/vrofr Patented May 2l, 1929.` .L

i 1,714,000- UNITED STATES iarlalar offrir-CE.` g

NATHAN H. DAVIS, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KEYSTONE LANTERN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SCOOTER BRAKE.

Application .led November 9, 19x26. Serial No. 147,216.

The present invention relates to a childs vehicle of that type known as a "scooter, having a platform on which a child stands and balances itself on one foot while push` 5 ing intermittently with the other foot to propel the vehicle'over the ground.

When vehicles of this type are driven `fast or are coasting down hill, they are likely to get out of control and cause an accident and perhaps injury to the child or to persons V with whom the vehicle may come into collision. o

The object of the present invention is to increase the safety with which such vehicles may be used,by providing means whereby the speed of the vehicle may be effectively regulated, the means lbeing positive and reliable in operation, and being so simple that f any child capable of riding such a vehicle :a0 can readily learn their proper use. a

To this end the platform on which'` the child stands is mounted on the frame of the vehicle for limited rocking or teetering` movement from front to rear, and carries a brake shoewhich is supported adjacent to, but normally out of contactwith, the rear wheel and which may be easily and quickly applied thereto by the child vmerely shifting its weight to rock the platform, it being possible by either shifting the weight gradually or suddenly to reduce thespeed slowly or to bring the vehicle toa quick stop.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which thebrake shoe also serves as a mud guard, vwhich is simple in construction and maybe easily and cheaply manufactured, and which consists'of but few parts and is Vnot likely to get out of order.

Vith these and othervobjects in view, my invention comprises the variousrnovely features of construction andarrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,- V

Y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scooter enibodying my invention, showing the platform in its normal osition with the brake out of contact with t e rear wheel ;k

'q Fig. 2 is ank enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partly in longitudinal. section,

showing the platform in tilted position with the brake applied;

Fig. 8 is a section of the line 3-3 of Fig.

ends of these bars are inclined upwardly:

and forwardly, as indicated at 3, and converge with their extremities suitably secured together and pivotally connectedfas at 4,

to a steering head 5. f

At itsv lower end the steering head is provided with arfork 6, in which the front wheel 7 of the vehicle is mounted, while at its upper end it is equipped with a suitable handlebar 8 by means ofwhich it may be conveniently turned to` guide the vehicle.

The rear wheel 9 of the vehicle is mounted c port it in an upright position'. o

Supportedv on the intermediate portions of theside bars 2 is a platform 12 of suitable size and shape to permit a child using the vehicle to stand thereon withone foot.

This platform is pivotally mounted on the frame forl free limited rocking or teetering movement'relativelythereto about a transverseaxis which is located intermediate of .the ends of the platform. The pivotal `mounting may be located below the plane of the axes of the front rand rear wheels 7 and '9, with theplatform close to the gr0und,-as isobviously desirable in the operation of a vehicle of this character.

As one Vmeans of efe'cting this pivotal mounting, a bracket 13 is secured to the under side of the platform and turns on a i bolt 14 secured to and extending between theside bars 2. The bracket is substantially of inverted U shape and has its central por tien bese i5 attached te 'the platform, la

, gravity in a substantially horizontal posi-V and its sides depending therefrom and form ing a pair of transversely lspaced ears 16 which abut-against the inner surfaces of the respective side bars 2, and are aper tured, as at 17, to receive the bolt 14 and also a bushing' 18 .preferably mounted on the bolt bet-Ween the side bars.

Another bracket 19 is secured to the under side of the platform in front of, and in longitudinal alinement With, the bracket 13, and engages the side hars 2 to guide the platform in its rocking movemenhas Well as to brace it laterally and relieveits pivot of excessive strain. The brackets 1 3 and f 19 are preferably identical, for convenience of manufacture,- aud are attached to the platform by means of a longitudinally dispose-d cleat 20 which serves to reinforce the platform and fits snugly Within both brackets to hold the same in alinement, fastening devices such as screws .21 being inserted through the cleat and the respective. bracket and into the platform to secure these parts together. Y

The pivotal axis of the platform is arranged behind the center of gravity thereof so that the platform is normally held by tion with its front portion suitably supported upon the frame of the vehicle. For the latter purpose a cross piece 22 is secured to the side bars V2 and extendsupwardly therebetween to form a rest for the front portion of the platform. rEhe cross piece 22 's substantially ofinverted ll shape and has its sides secured rigidly by rivets or other suitable "lening devices tothe respective side ba at 2a to form downwardly facing shoulders which bear upon the upper edges of the side bars so that the iv-,ight transmitted directly thereto and the cross piece 22 is also held againstany tendency to turn about its fastening devices i3. p

At its rear end the platform 12 is equipped vvith a brake which is rigidly secured thereto as by means'of a flat base 25 attached to the under side of the platform. A brake shoe E26 projects upwardlyV from this base above the platform and is curved rearwardly to conform substantially to and extend 4art Way around the periphery of the rear wheel 9, and may also be curved trans versely to embrace the tread thereof. The shoe is thus adaptedto have a broad` bearing upon the Wheel for effective braking action, and to serve, when out of contact therewith, as a mud guard.

1n using the vehicle, the child stands 0n the platform on one foot with all or a preponderance of its Weight uponthe front portion of the plattform, 'that is,l in advance of the transverse pivot. vWith the Weight so applied the platform remains in its'noi1N mal position with the brakeshoe adjacent,

EZ and ol *set indicated but out 0f. Contact with, the rear Wheel 9, as shown in Fig. 1, and forming' a mud guard. The child pushes intermittently with its other foot to propel the vehicle over the ground .in the usual manner,

To operate the brake it is merely necessary for the child' to rock'or tilt the platform` lrearwardly by shifting its Weight thereon. This may be done by the child swaying its bod-y rearwardly, or bearing on the rear end of the platform With free foot, that is, the foot `used to propel the vehicle. The movement of the platform applies the brake-shoe to. thefrear Wheel as indicated in Fig. 2, and thus enables the child to readily control the speed of the vehicle. The brake-shoe, contacting with the Wheel 9 limits the rocking movement ofthe platform rea.1`\\ .rdly, and the arrangement is such that but little movement is required to apply the brakeeshoe and hence the platform merely tiltsslightly andremains substantiallyhorizontal, so that at all times it affords proper footing and is in riding position. The brake is positive in action and may be regulated to gradually retard the speed or to bring the vehicle Vto a quick stop, according' to the pressure applied in rocking the platform. The bracket 19 Vguides the platl'ormV in its rocking movement and coacts with the bracket 13 to resist Vanylateral displacement of the same with respect to the frame and thus maintain the` brake-shoe in alinement withV and in. cooperative relation to, the rear Wheel, so that thebrake is always ready for action.

It is' tobe understood that my invention may be embodied in various different forms of'scooters from that herein described and illustrated. Furthermore, the pivot for the platform may be arranged in vertical alinenent ivitlnor even somewhat in advance of, the center of gravity thereof, Vin which instance the Weight of the child riding the vehicle,v and standing on -the front portion of the platform will Vserve 'tol hold the same against its rest, with the brake-shoe normally inactive. Various other changes may be made in theform," arrangement and com! binations of parts Without departing from the spirit andi scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United Statesi 1. In a childs vehicle of the characterplatform Y in one direction, for applying braking pressure to said wheel. f

2. In a childs vehiclev of the character described, the combination with a frame, a wheel mounted therein, and a platform carried by the frame, of means mounting the platform on the frame for free rocking movement relatively' thereto, and a brake shoe secured to and entirely supported by said platform and movable therewith by and upon the rocking thereof, into and out of contact with said wheel.

3. In a childs vehicle of the character described, the lcombination with a frame, a wheel mounted therein, and a platform carried by the frame, of'means mounting the platform von the frame forv independent rocking movement, and a brake shoe carried by said platform and movableby and upon the rocking thereof, into and out of con` tact with said wheel, said brake shoe eX- tending overv and party way around the wheel and forming a. mud guard.

4. In a childs vehicle of the character described, the combination with a frame, a

wheel mounted therein, and a platform carried by the frame, of a brake shoe carried by theplatform adjacent said wheel, a pivotal connection between the platform and the frame permitting the free rocking of the platform to move the brake shoe into.

and out of contact with the wheel, the plat frame, and Va platform carried thereby, of l means mounting the platform on the frame for free teetering movement relatively thereto, a brake shoe carried by said platform and extending therefrom qadjacent the periphery of a wheel of said frame and movable with said platform by and upon the teetering thereof, into and out of contact with such wheel, and a memberbe 6. The combinationl with a scooter,

comprisingfront and rear wheels, an inter- Y mediate frame, and a platform supported Von the frame between said wheels, of means pivotally mounting the platform on the frame for free teetering movement from front to rear, means for limiting themovement of the platform so that it at all times provides a substantially horizontal foot-` hold and is in riding'position, and means for applying braking pressure to the rear.

wheel by and upon. the teetering movement l ofthe platform in one direction.

7. kThe combination with a scooter, comprising .front and rear wheels, an intermediate frame, and a platform supported on the frame between said wheels, of means pivotally mounting the platform on the frame for free, limited teetering movement from front toA rear, said pivotal mountingr being located below thev plane of the axes of the front and rear wheels, and means for applying braking pressure to the-rear wheel byl and upon the teetering movement of the platform in one direction.

In testimony whereof, I have' signed my name to this specification. e Y Y NATHAN H. DAVIS. 

